


Return To Yesterday

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-09-05
Updated: 2000-09-05
Packaged: 2019-05-15 01:37:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14781168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: It's JeIt's Jed and Leo's 40th high school reunion.d and Leo's 40th high school reunion.





	1. Return To Yesterday

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

Return to Yesteryear

by AJ

Disclaimer: Ain't mine. Summary: It's Jed and Leo's 40th high school reunion. Notes: Thanks to Dallas, so very much for all of her help with this. I couldn't have done it without her.

"Toby! I said we aren't going to do it." Jed shouted at his communications director at their afternoon staff meeting.

"Mr. President, I know you..."

"Toby." Leo muttered as the door opened and Mrs. Landingham entered.

"Excuse the disturbance. Mr. President, this came for you earlier." The elderly secretary walked over to the President's desk and handed him a post card.

After carefully studying it for a long moment, he turned to his secretary and said, "Would you call them and tell them three?"

"Certainly, Mr. President." Mrs. L turned and walked out of the room.

"What was that about, Mr. President?" Leo asked.

Jed elected not to answer his friend with words, but instead, look him dead in the eye.

"NO!" Leo shouted as he got the message.

"It'll be fun, Leo." Jed said.

"NO!" Leo repeated himself. "I don't want to go!" Leo whined in a little kid's voice.

"And I didn't want to go to that thing the other day, but you made me. One turn deserves another, Leo. You're going." Jed grinned, as he was pleased with himself.

"What are the two of you talking about?" Josh finally asked.

"In a few days, is our high school reunion." Jed raised his eyebrows. ~~~ "How'd you find out about it?" Abbey asked her husband as she sat down on the couch in their bedroom.

"Mrs. Landingham gave me a post card from the people who are in charge of this thing." Jed replied sitting at the opposite end of the couch his wife was sitting on.

"Damn!" Abbey exclaimed.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." Abbey replied innocently.

"You wouldn't have been trying to conspire against me, to hide this from me, would you?" Jed looked over at his wife. Her facial expression said it all. "That's what I thought. See, and I wasn't going to make you come with Leo and me." He grinned as he scooted over to her.

"Why don't you leave Leo alone? He doesn't like these things, and you know it."

"Because he doesn't like these things." Jed answered honestly.

"Jed!" Abbey warned.

Wrapping an arm around his wife, he said, "Please, just come with me. I'll make it worth your while." Jed raised his eyebrows.

"And how will you do that?" Abbey asked. Moments later, she felt Jed's lips on her neck. "Stop that!" She chuckled.

"Come with me." He rested his head on her shoulder.

"I don't want to."

"You're going to make me beg, aren't you?"

"You can try, but I don't really think that it will do any good." Abbey smiled as she pushed his head off of her shoulder.

Helping her stand up, and leading her over to the bed, he said, "Well. . . I can be very persuasive when I want to be, Dr. Bartlet."

TBC...

  

  


	2. Return To Yesterday 2

Return to Yesteryear

by AJ

"I'm sorry, Leo. I really thought we could keep it from him." Abbey frowned as she was talking to her husband's best friend, the day before they were to go to New Hampshire. "If it makes you feel any better, he managed to con me into going."

"Oh, yeah, I feel so much better. I don't want to go back there, Abbey."

"It's not as bad as you think, Leo."

"Abbey..." Leo knew he was whining and didn't want to sound that way, but he couldn't help himself. "You know that I had such a rep as a partier, the big man on campus, the ladies man. I've changed and don't really want to go back to people who think that."

"And I understand, Leo. Really, I do. Which is why I'm so sorry that Jed is making you go. I tried to talk him out of it, really, I did." Abbey sighed.

Leo sighed, "I know you tried. But damnit, he doesn't have the right to force me to go to this."

"If you want to stay here, I can try and cover for you."

"No, I wouldn't want to get you in trouble for me, Abbey. But thanks for the offer." Leo said as Jed entered the room. Leo smiled weakly, "Mr. President."

"You're not getting out of it, Leo. It'll be fun." Jed walked over and tried to put his arms around his wife, but she backed away from him.

"With all due respect, sir, it won't be." Leo wished he could drop formality and tell Jed to shove it, which was what he really wanted to do.

"Jed..." Abbey began.

Hearing the tone in which she spoke, Jed placed a hand on his forehead and walked towards his desk. Leo slipped out of the room, wanting to be away from the President before he got himself in trouble.

Both Abbey and Jed took notice of the retreating Leo. "You really shouldn't force him to go. He has a legitimate reason for not wanting to."

Jed laughed, "Oh, Abbey. He's just being stubborn. Once he goes, he'll enjoy it."

"No he won't." Abbey frowned as she moved across the room to her husband.

"It's been 40 years..." Jed stopped after saying 40. Was he really that old?

"Yes, it has, Jed, but Leo has gone through a lot in those 40 years and he doesn't want to share that with his old friends!"

"So, have you talked to Elizabeth lately?" Jed decided it was best to change the subject.

"No and don't change the subject. I want you to back down on this, Josiah."

"Maybe we should call her before we go up tomorrow. We can spend some time with her." Jed purposely changed the subject again.

"Jed!!!" Abbey shook her head and made her way over to the door that connects the Oval Office to Leo's.

"Yes?" He replied.

Abbey stopped and realized she was seriously considering physical violence at this moment.

"Abbey, I'm doing it for his own good." Jed sighed.

"What?" Abbey turned and walked back to her husband.

"I am doing it for his own good." Jed swallowed hard. "He needs to get past this fear..."

"Jed, you can't force him." Abbey spoke softly, seeing that his concern was real.

"That's why I was hoping that *you* would back me up on this." Jed looked up at her. "I should have known better." He muttered beneath his breath.

"Jed, I back you up, but this is hurting him."

"But it shouldn't, Abbey." Jed stood up from his desk and walked to the other side, where his wife was standing.

"But it is!"

"Tell me what to do. I know he needs to go, and I know he doesn't want to. I don't want to hurt him, Abbey. I don't. Tell me what to do."

"I guess, we make him." Abbey sighed, wishing she didn't have to do this.

TBC...

  


	3. Return To Yesterday 3

Return to Yesteryear

by AJ

"Let's go." Jed proclaimed, giddy as a schoolboy as he walked into Leo's office, Abbey right behind him.

"Yes, sir." Leo stood with all the enthusiasm of a prisoner on his way to the death chamber.

"Well..." Jed glanced at his best friend, "The limo is waiting."

"Yes, sir." Leo followed them out to the limo, his heart heavy. He didn't want to do this. He wished someone would declare war on the US or something. Anything to get him out of this.

Abbey lingered behind for a moment and placed a very supportive hand on Leo. "It's gonna be okay."

"Abbey... Please. I really don't want to go to this."

"It's always the things that we need to do, that we really would rather not."

He sighed and shook his head. "Sure."

"Hey, you never know, we might actually have fun." Abbey weakly smiled.

"Yeah, and I'm the King of England."

"Well your Majesty, right this way." Jed looked back at the two people conversing behind him.

Leo bit back the sarcastic retort that sprang to his lips. "Yes, sir." ~~~ Leo's eyes widened as he walked, well... was pushed into the ballroom where the reunion was being held.

Abbey placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, "Come on, Leo. Just get it over with."

"Yes, ma'am." He said loudly as he muttered under his breath, "Although I still don't see why I have to."

Abbey threw him a look that clearly said, 'Don't push it!'

Leo saw the look and moved his eyes to the ground as he slowly walked towards the seats set up to the side, near the refreshments. Jed could make him go, but he couldn't make him have fun.

Leo looked to his right as he sat down, seeing someone who looked familiar, and yet he couldn't quite place her... Amanda. Amanda Benningford.

"Leo McGarry?" She moved over to his table and sat down. "I didn't really expect to see you here. It's good to see you."

He smiled weakly, "It's good to see you too, Amanda. How have you been?"

She hesitated slightly to find the right words, "Better."

He nodded, understanding. "So, why did you decide to come?"

"Probably for the same reasons you did. Let me guess," She looked over onto the dance floor at Jed and Abbey dancing, "A friend made you?"

"I'm here by order of the President of the United States."

Amanda couldn't help but to laugh. It was just so hard for her to see Jed, the class nerd, the class clown, and the class valedictorian as the President of the United States. Amanda was about to reply to Leo's comment as Abbey and Jed approached them from the dance floor.

"Hello, Amanda," Abbey smiled and offered her hand.

Amanda looked stunned. She personally knew the First Lady and the President of the United States. She went to high school with the President, and college with both of them. She had played a small role in getting the two of them together, and was a member of the bridal party. Reaching her hand out to meet Abbey's she said, "Mrs. Bartlet."

"Call me Abbey." She smiled.

Amanda smiled, "Okay. Abbey. Good to see you again. It's been a long time."

"Hello Amanda. Good to see you again." Jed really had no clue who was before him, so he was glad when his wife said her name. Without her, Jed would be so screwed at events like this.

Amanda smiled, "Mr. President. You look wonderful. And congratulations on your office." Amanda groaned inwardly. That had to be about the stupidest thing she'd ever said.

"Thanks. I'm loving it. Hey, did you know that the eagle in the carpet of the Oval Office..." Jed felt an elbow in his side and turned to see Abbey grinning at him.

Amanda chuckled, seeing that he had obviously not lost his love of inane trivia. She glanced at Leo as Jed began again. "The eagle..." Jed felt another elbow in his side as he turned back to his wife.

Abbey smirked, "Dance with me Dr. Bartlet." She pulled him up and out onto the dance floor.

Amanda breathed a sigh or relief. "Thank you, God. I don't need to know about the eagle." She laughed and looked at Leo.

  


	4. Return To Yesterday 4

Return to Yesteryear

by AJ

"So...Amanda, would you care to dance?" Leo decided that if he was gonna be stuck at this thing for another few hours, he might as well try to have a good time.

"I would love to, Leo." Amanda smiled.

Leo stood from his chair and then helped Amanda from hers, he held his arm out, and she grabbed it. "Right this way, ma'am."

Amada smiled as they made their way out to the dance floor and Leo took her in his arms.

When the song they were dancing slowly came to the end, they both overheard a comment from a male off to the side, "Look at those drunks dancing together. Shoulda known they'd always end up together."

Amanda froze and then pulled away from Leo, mumbling something as she ran out of the room.

Leo turned to Jed who was near by. Jed's eyes flashed with anger, "Go after her, Leo." Leo did as he was told, running through the halls of the hotel, he tried to locate his dancing partner.

Amanda slumped against a wall, her eyes closed, as she fought against the tears the burned at her eyes. Leo showed up just in time to see the first tear fall down her cheek. He cautiously approached her, "Amanda?"

"I shouldn't have come! I knew I shouldn't have come! I knew it!" She slid to the floor and buried her head in her hands, her shoulders shaking.

Leo sank down to the floor with her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Wanna talk about it?" ~~~ "Jedi, is that you?" A very attractive female approached Jed and Abbey.

Jed turned his attention from his wife, onto the face that went along with the voice that just called out a very old nickname, only used by one person before. "Kimberly Walters?" Jed's voice trembled with the fear of possibilities as his wife met his old flame for the first time.

"Well, you've done well for yourself, Jedi." Kimberly smiled a sugary sweet smile.

"Jed?" Abbey called out, causing Jed's gaze to shift back onto her.

"Abbey, I want you to meet an *old* friend, Kimberly Walters. Ms. Walters, I'd like you to meet my wonderful wife, Abigail."

"Pleased to meet you, Abigail." Kimberly said with a touch of jealousy in her voice. "So I take it from your reaction that Jedi never told you about me."

"No, Jedi never told me about you." Abbey quickly replied giving her husband a dangerous look.

Jed smiled weakly and glanced around for the Secret Service. He seriously feared for his life. Finding the closest one, which to Jed seemed like miles away, felt Abbey's eyes still beaming on him.

Jed smiled weakly, "Excuse me, but I need to use the restroom." He escaped quickly, not giving Abbey a chance to object.

"So, Kimberly was it?" Abbey looked at her as she nodded her head. "How close of friends were you with my husband?"

"As close as they come." Kimberly responded honestly.

"Really? Funny. He never mentioned you."

"Well, what we had was very...special."

Abbey shrugged, "Not special enough."


	5. Return To Yesterday 5

Return to Yesteryear

by AJ

Amanda gazed at him with tear-filled eyes, "Leo... I used to be a drunk. I drank from sun up to sun down. But... I've been sober for two years. Why can't people understand that?" More tears fell and she let them slip down her face.

Leo moved to embrace her, "I can understand it."

She turned into him, and hugged him tightly, her tears falling onto his jacket. "I'm sorry," she murmured softy.

"Don't be. I'm not. I've been sober for 8 years now."

"How do you do it? How do you find the strength everyday to not pick up another drink? How do you last for 8 years?" She asked, still sobbing.

"I lean on the people around me, and I know that I'm better off this way." He stroked her hair gently, understanding what she was going through.

"And if you have no one to lean on? Then what?" She picked her head up and looked him in the eyes.

"Then you lean on me," he said quietly. ~~~ "So..." Jed said nervously as he returned to his wife and Kimberly.

"So..." Abbey replied as Jed wrapped his arms around her waist and she leaned into him. She smiled sweetly at Kimberly and rested her hands on Jed's, tilting her head as he gently nibbled her neck, more out of reflex than anything else.

"So...What did I miss?" Jed looked down at his wife, thanking his lucky stars that she didn't seem as pissed as she had when he left.

"Hmmm... Not much." Abbey gently stroked the back of his hand, genuinely enjoying his closeness, forgetting the woman that stood to their side as she turned into him and kissed him gently.

Clearing her throat, Kimberly stood there with a thoroughly unamused look on her face, causing Jed and Abbey to separate from their kiss and turn back to her. Abbey blushed, having honestly forgotten that there were other people in the room.

"You're still here?" Abbey asked.

Kimberly's mouth dropped open and she took a menacing step towards the First Lady. Abbey glanced at one of her Secret Service agents who immediately intercepted the woman.

As the secret service dragged Kimberly away, Jed turned to his wife, "I'm sorry. I should have mentioned her to you before. Guess I just didn't see any reason to."

Abbey thought for a minute before replying, "It's okay. I told her she obviously wasn't as important as she thought. After all, I have you now, don't I?" Abbey smiled and kissed him gently again.

"As long as you'll keep me." He said through the kiss. Abbey just smiled and pulled him tighter. Jed welcomed the embrace as he looked up and saw Leo reenter the room, holding onto Amanda's hand.

Leo and Amanda slowly made their way over to the President and First Lady. "I want to thank you for making me come, Sir."

"Leo, this isn't a work night, if you call me Sir or Mr. President one more time..." Jed grinned at his best friend. He knew that if he could some how get Leo to come, that he'd have a good time.

Jed was wrong, he had a great time.

"Was that Kimberly I saw Ron drag out of here?" Leo questioned.

Abbey smiled innocently, "Probably." Abbey too was having a good time...now.

THE END


End file.
